Clove Beach Wadduwa

For a moment I wondered whether I was in the same hotel I had heard about and described in so many wonderful reviews here in TripAdvisor! I agree, that the tranquility this place offers is fantastic. The separate pavilions are large with spacious living, dining areas, kitchenette, veranda overlooking the sea, private plunge pool, and an enormous bedroom with an equally huge washroom with jacuzzi. All amenities were available. The bed and the bed linen was comfy. The landscaped garden around the swimming pool was a pleasure to look at. Architecturally, it looked as if inspired by famous architect Geoffrey Bawa. What was surprising however, was the appalling service & the food quality not in keeping with the standard expected of a ‘luxury boutique hotel with a star rating’. They seemed to be severely short-staffed. The staff on duty, starting from the front desk, appeared to be untrained and lacking in professionalism and experience. Perhaps they were untrained temporary recruits from the neighborhood! The Menu was limited and poorly planned (eg. Hot butter calamari under the main course lacked any accompaniments!). Food choice & the food quality was mediocre to say the least. The ‘Sri Lankan breakfast’ was no better than what you would get from a roadside restaurants serving the traveller. There was no table setting, no table linen, or not even paper serviettes. They were provided only on ‘request’. Cleanliness of the crockery was questionable. They were full of fingerprints! Food was served without cutlery, which was brought in only after pointing it out. There were no dinner rolls to go with the soup. Instead, it was served with soggy slices of bread toasted, probably a few hours ago. The cocktail ordered was watery and was not cold enough clearly mixed by someone with no experience. Simply, there was no attempt to maintain any standards. This was not the the experience one would expect from a luxury boutique hotel! I am aware, that several years back, this place was considered exclusive and unique among Sri Lankan hotels of this class. It was sad to see the deterioration. I do not blame blame the staff for the shortcoming. They try their best to serve the customers with the limited resources (training & material) available available to them. Either the current ownership & the management are not familiar with what a ‘luxury boutique experience’ means or they do not give a damn as long as money keeps coming!

We stayed one night at Serene Pavilions this last weekend and fell in love with the place. Quiet, private and personal it made for a lovely and relaxing stay. The villas were lovely and spacious. The food was lovely and above all the staff were courteous and helpful. They were most accommodating with our dietary requirements and made special effort to personalize the menu according to our liking. Just 45 mins away from Colombo I think it makes for the perfect place for a relaxing weekend getaway